The physical address requirement is a provision in email marketing law — specifically CAN-SPAM (United States) and CASL (Canada) — that mandates every commercial email include a valid postal mailing address for the sending organization or individual. Under CAN-SPAM, acceptable address formats include a current street address, a P.O. Box registered with the US Postal Service, or a private mailbox registered with a commercial mail receiving agency (CMRA). The address must accurately identify the sender — a forwarding address, a random foreign address, or an address that doesn't actually correspond to the sender violates the intent of the requirement. The practical purpose is accountability: senders who can be physically located are less likely to be anonymous mass spammers. For solo operators and remote workers who prefer not to publish a home address, a P.O. Box or a virtual office mailbox address is the standard compliant approach. The address must appear in the email footer, typically alongside the unsubscribe link.
Glossary entry
